Bubbles the chimp to 'publish' tell-all memoir about Michael Jackson

Bubbles the chimp, the one-time associate of Michael Jackson, is to set to
release a tell-all diary about his time with the recently deceased pop
superstar.

Michael Jackson's pet chimpanzee BubblesPhoto: ALPHA PRESS

By Chris Irvine

6:50AM BST 05 Aug 2009

Publisher John Blake, who will release Bubbles: My Secret Diary, From Swaziland to Neverland, said the spoof memoir was a "collection of very personal and honest entries from [Bubbles'] diary," giving readers the "whole story" of the chimpanzee's life.

It details how he escaped from an "awful childhood" in a research clinic, and "adopted a struggling young singer".

The memoirs are also set to examine the slightly darker aspects of Bubbles' career, including his $2,000-a-day banana addiction, depression, romantic conquests, and the "vicious rivalry" with Tarzan star Cheeta.

It is also set to include how Bubbles dealt with the recent death of the King of Pop.

Mr Blake said: “Behind his seemingly-perfect life of glamorous friends, gold-plated tyre swings, and personal chefs, there is a dark history of medical experiments, addiction and loss. But Bubbles has fought against his personal and professional problems and, with his help of man-pet Michael Jackson, he has grown to become bigger than King Kong—figuratively speaking."

The 26-year-old chimp is living in the animal sanctuary where he was taken in 2003 after becoming too aggressive to live alongside Jackson's baby son Prince Michael II.

He had lived at Jackson's Neverland ranch and sat in on recordings for the Bad album, even travelling to Japan with the singer on tour.

He was not invited to Jackson's funeral over fears he would be too violent.

The book is available in October.

The spoof autobiography Me Cheeta, detailing the life of the Tarzan star, and written by James Lever, is among the contenders for the Booker Prize. The book details the life of the chimp who co-starred with Johnny Weissmuller in the film. According to the judges it is "very funny and exceptionally well written".